It was great talking to Survivor: Fiji‘s first booted contestant and Jessica was a delight to interview. She is funny and smart and undoubtedly my favorite first castaway to be kicked off the show.
Murtz Jaffer: Clearly you were surprised at being voted out, do you think it was just because of the puzzle?
Jessica deBen: I am hoping so. I mean maybe I smelled really bad after three days with no shower!
MJ: (Laughs). In your final words, you said that you thought it was better to be backstabbed at the beginning when you don’t know anyone rather than at the end when I guess you were kind of more comfortable with people. Is that how you felt it happened? That you didn’t know these people (who voted you out)?
JD: For the most part. It’s better at time that it did rather than on Day 30 and then getting hurt like that.
MJ: While the premiere focused a lot on the alliance between you/Rocky/Erica, you seemed to be the one who was approached by them instead of making the first move yourself. Is that kind of how it went? Rocky came to you. Erica came to you. Or were you more of an instigator?
JD: No, Erica and Rocky both came to me. I think Erica because she’s from Louisiana and I am from New Orleans. And it’s pretty nerve-wracking when they give you the word because you don’t really know how the votes are going to turn out until you watch the show on TV.
MJ: Rocky asked you to tell him if he was ever in trouble at tribal council to sort of give him a heads up. Did he do the same thing for you? Did he sort of say ‘Jessica, you’re in trouble tonight… watch out?’
JD: You know, maybe he didn’t have time. That’s the only thing that I can think of.
MJ: So I guess he didn’t warn you. And you were completely shocked?
JD: I was completely shocked.
MJ: Was it more of a brother/sister bond with him or was there a romantic connection?
JD: I don’t know. I think maybe there might have been something if I had lasted longer.
MJ: Really?! So are you a big Stallone fan?
JD: (Laughs). Yeah, my girlfriends were making fun of me! I am kind of a Stallone fan.
MJ: (Laughs). Mookie and Rita both seemed to have it out for you. Mookie said you lost the challenge with the puzzle and that Rita was stronger than you. Rita said that people thought you were flying under the radar. Were these fair criticisms and why were Mookie and Rita going after you?
JD: That’s a good question. All I can I think of is that they played a better game than me. I mean that is how you play the game. You gotta put it on somebody else, so I don’t fault either one of them for doing that. That’s how you play the game.
MJ: What was your strategy going in and why were the votes scattered everywhere among the people who didn’t vote for you? So it was either vote for Jessica… or whoever you want.
JD: Yeah, maybe it was a personal thing. Very good question. You know the other thing is that if Erica and Rocky had voted together
MJ: It would have made them more of a threat?
JD: Exactly. They would have defeated themselves.
MJ: A big deal was made out of the shelter. How demoralizing was it when you lost?
JD: It was really demoralizing. I mean everybody was pretty happy about the fact that there was still a cave. We had a machete. I thought things were going to be okay and I had no idea when I saw the show that Erica felt that way about it. I thought that she was okay with it too, but she wasn’t.
MJ: You are the second pretty girl to technically leave Fiji (after Mellisa quit). Why are all the hot girls leaving so quickly?
JD: I don’t know. You know, I thought that too about the first girl that quit. I thought that maybe she just went out and had her own Fijian vacation! I don’t know. That’s a good question!
MJ: I think I speak for all the single guys out there including myself when we say that you are our favorite first voted-off contestant in Survivor history. Are you still single and what would it take for a guy to impress you on Valentine’s Day?
JD: Oh that’s such a great question! I am still single. I think a guy that’s genuine. I think sometimes it’s hard to find that. I know it’s LA, but sometimes it’s hard.
MJ: I think it’s very funny that you say that you are interested in Rocky and you say that you like genuine guys, so I guess Rocky’s a genuine guy?
JD: I think he’s got a lot of heart. You know, there’s never a dull moment with him. He’s never going to be boring.
MJ: And finally what’s next for you? Still continuing in the fashion industry? I heard that you will be working the Oscars?
JD: Yeah, I am doing make-up touch-ups. A big make-up company hired me and I am going to be working in one of the tents where all the celebs get their swag
MJ: Yeah, like where all the celebs get their gift bags right?
JD: Yeah and the person in the suite next to us is Cadillac, so I can’t wait to see what happens.
MJ: Do you think you’re going to be recognized as the girl from Survivor?
JD: I don’t know. I hope so. That would be really fun!
MJ: Thank you so much, this was great.
Thanks a lot.
Originally from New Orleans, Jessica deBen attended approximately three years of college at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. She went on to attend the University of New Orleans and Tulane University.
deBen moved to Los Angeles three years ago and currently works as a fashion stylist and make-up artist. She works freelance with photographers, models and magazine editors. She previously worked as a body painter for the “Lion King” show at Disney in Orlando and also as an attendant for the Volunteers of America Personal Care.
deBen describes herself as ambitious, warm and unbreakable. Her hobbies include portrait painting, jogging, hiking, kayaking, biking and eating pancakes at The Griddle Café. She is an avid fan of the New Orleans Hornets basketball team (she used to go to games twice a week when she lived there). She is a member of the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions and St. Brendan’s Catholic Church.
Currently single, deBen’s birth date is April 25, 1979.
– Survivor: Fiji airs on CBS on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
– Survivor: Fiji airs on the Global network in Canada on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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